Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) just announced the first vote on the Equal Rights Amendment in the Senate in 40 years.
“The founding document has never been interpreted to guarantee that the rights of women and the rights of men as a class are simply equal,” said Schumer on Monday at a press conference at Hunter College in New York City. “That’s why I am calling for a vote on the Equal Rights Amendment.” The senator said the vote will happen “this week,” with floor debate on Wednesday and a vote on Thursday.
We’re standing together today with champions for the Equal Rights Amendment!
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) April 24, 2023
It would guarantee that rights are applied equally without regard to sex.
And I’m going to bring it to the Senate floor this week.#ERANow pic.twitter.com/Hf4krLCQDj
The ERA has had bipartisan support since its inception, and today the amendment still enjoys wide support among Democrats, Republicans and Independents. But the amendment faces an uphill climb in the Senate, where it has the public support of just two Republicans: Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Susan Collins (R-Maine). (Senate Rule XXII requires senators to invoke what is called cloture to end debate and move to a vote. To do that currently requires a 60-vote majority. If the cloture motion is unsuccessful, the resolution is killed by the filibuster. The resolution can be brought back to the Senate floor for a full vote if the majority leader votes with the prevailing side, then moves for a reconsideration of the exact same resolution.)
Schumer alluded to the challenges of ERA passage: “As you know, things don’t come easy in Washington.”
Still, ERA advocates see a vote on the resolution a worthwhile endeavor, since it will force senators to go on the record.
“I want to see the list of everybody who is opposed to equality,” said former Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) at the Monday press conference, who today serves as the Eleanor Roosevelt distinguished leader in residence at Hunter College.
“Nothing in life is more important,” said Gloria Steinem, co-founder of Ms. “It is terribly important and terribly shameful that we are the one democracy in the world that doesn’t ensure equal rights for women.”
To build momentum ahead of the congressional vote, ERA advocates at the conference announced a nationwide petition for the public to pledge their support of the ERA.
“We intend to make this the biggest, most massive petition drive in the United States,” said Ellie Smeal, publisher of Ms. and president of the Feminist Majority Foundation. “The ERA has been ratified.”
Earlier today at @Hunter_College for the launch of the #Sign4ERA national petition drive. With @SenSchumer @CarolynBMaloney @GloriaSteinem @ChrisFNunes @genratify @FemMajority – Sen Schumer announced
— Zakiya Thomas (@ZakiyaEra) April 24, 2023
that the Senate will vote on SJ Res 4. Follow @ERACoalition for more info. pic.twitter.com/vgdmKrCwqQ
Today’s ERA push is a multigenerational movement, and 90 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds are in favor of the ERA. “I’m so heartened to see young people here,” observed Steineim on Monday, “because you are the ones who will activate opinion and voters to really make the change happen. You are the difference that we need.”
One youth ERA advocate in attendance was Lyle Reed, a junior at Hunter College, who said they spoke in support of the amendment on behalf of “the survivors of sexual assault who have been failed by the weak Title IX protections in their school. The queer youth whose identities are being targeted by ‘Don’t Say Gay’ laws and restrictions. People who have been denied their right to abortion and other reproductive healthcare. People who have been denied pay parity, and youth of color, who are disproportionately impacted by gender inequality.”
“If we want to see ourselves in the Constitution, we have to put ourselves there,” said Zakiya Thomas, president of the ERA Coalition, “and that’s what the ERA would do.”
Add your name to the petition here.
Watch the full press conference, “Speak Up For The Equal Rights Amendment,” featuring Chuck Schumer, Carolyn Maloney, Ellie Smeal and more:
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